3D Shaping Hollow Boundary Resin Ejection Control

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In three-dimensional shaping using an ink-jet method, maintaining uniform resin ejection and preventing peeling issues due to contact with a roller recovery mechanism, while ensuring easy removal of supporting material, is challenging due to the tradeoff between bonding strength and peeling prevention.

Innovation Solution

A three-dimensional shaping apparatus that creates a hollow portion at the boundary surface between different resin types, controlling the ejection of resin to avoid contact with the roller recovery mechanism, and adjusting the layer thickness to prevent erroneous recovery and peeling, thereby maintaining the quality of the shaped object.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the bonding strength between different resin types is strengthened to prevent peeling, then peeling is prevented, but the supporting material becomes difficult to remove

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepeeling preventionVSAvoidsupporting material removal
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating a hollow portion at the boundary surface between different resin types (model material and supporting material). This hollow portion is a localized structural feature that specifically addresses the bonding interface without affecting the overall bonding strength of the composite structure. The hollow portion prevents peeling at the critical boundary surface while maintaining sufficient bonding for supporting material removal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the resin structure by introducing a hollow portion that divides the boundary surface between different resin types into separate regions. This segmentation creates a physical separation at the interface level, allowing the supporting material to be removed without compromising the bonding integrity of the model material layers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If resin is ejected uniformly to maintain uniform layer thickness, then shaping accuracy is improved, but excess resin is ejected and requires recovery mechanism

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelayer thickness uniformityVSAvoidexcess resin ejection
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the excess resin through a recovery mechanism that collects and removes surplus resin material from the ejection process. This allows uniform layer thickness to be maintained while accounting for the inevitable excess resin that is extracted and reused or disposed of.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a recovery mechanism that discards and recovers excess resin material. The excess resin is collected in a bath and suctioned back into the system for potential reuse, thereby reducing material loss and maintaining ejection uniformity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Productivity

If the roller portion contacts the resin surface to recover excess resin, then resin recovery is improved, but cured resin layers are scraped and peeled

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresin recovery efficiencyVSAvoidcured resin layer integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by creating a hollow portion at the boundary surface before the resin is fully cured and before the roller portion makes contact. This pre-structured hollow space prevents the roller from scraping and peeling cured resin layers, allowing efficient resin recovery without compromising layer integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The hollow portion acts as an intermediary structure between the roller portion and the cured resin layers. It provides a physical barrier that prevents direct contact and scraping, allowing the roller to recover resin while protecting the integrity of the cured layers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution effectively prevents peeling and ensures easy removal of the supporting material by controlling the resin ejection and layer thickness, enhancing the quality and accuracy of the shaped object without compromising the operational performance.

Implementation Method 1

a shaping-material ejection device for ejecting the resin in a liquid state in an ink-jet manner

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInk-jet ejection:

Implementation Method 2

a roller portion for scraping off an excess portion of the resin on an uppermost surface of the resin in a liquid state

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 3

a curing device for curing the resin ejected onto the shaping plate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhotopolymerization: Photopolymerisation

Implementation Method 4

An ultraviolet-light lamp configured to emit ultraviolet light is scanned in the XY directions together with the nozzles for ejecting the model material and the supporting material so that the model material and the supporting material ejected from the nozzles are irradiated and cured with the ultraviolet light

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectUltraviolet light irradiation: Absorption (EM radiation)

Data Source

PatentEP2599613B1Three-dimensional shaping apparatus, three-dimensional shaping method, set-data creating apparatus for three-dimensional shaping apparatus, program for creating set-data for three-dimensional shaping apparatus, and computer-readable recording medium
Publication Date: 2016.02.10 KEYENCE CORP
  • EP2599613B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2599613B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2599613B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A control device 10 is provided that drives a horizontal driving device after ejection and curing of shaping material in one slice with a shaping material ejection device, controls a vertical driving device to move an ejection position to a slice after curing, and ejects and cures shaping material in a subsequent layer and thereby successively laminates slices. A hollow portion ES is provided in the slice corresponding to the boundary surface between different types of shaping material at which there is a change of the model material MA and the supporting material SA in the lamination direction of the shaped object from one to the other of the shaping materials. The control device 10 performs control to not eject shaping material or to reduce the ejection amount from the shaping material ejection device to a position corresponding to the hollow portion ES.